Heavy coil pay-off

ABSTRACT

An apparatus supports heavy rod coils on their outer turns for dual pay-off while restrained by forwardly placed plates or other members. At least one of the plates is slotted for access to a strand from a second coil and turnbuckle means urge the coils against the plates while hinged weights hold the coils down.

United States Patent Goodzey et al.

HEAVY COIL PAY-OFF Inventors: John R. Goodzey, Flora, 111.; Robin L. Johnson, Jonesboro, 1nd.

Assignee: The Anaconda Company, New

York, NY.

Filed: Sept. 21, 1973 Appl. No.: 399,563

U.S. Cl 242/129, 242/105 Int. Cl B65h 49/00 Field of Search 242/68.7, 78.7, 78.6, 128,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,660,381 11/1953 Fried] et al. 242/105 Feb. 25, 1975 2,930,541 4/1960 Crum ..242/129 3,028,117 4/1962 Shepley ..242/129 Primary Examiner-Leonard D. Christian Attorney, Agent, or FirmVictor F. Volk [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus supports heavy rod coils on their outer turns for dual pay-off while restrained by forwardly placed plates or other members. At least one of the plates is slotted for access to a strand from a second coil and turnbuckle means urge the coils against the plates while hinged weights hold the coils down.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEUFEBZSIQZS R868 070 sum 1 or 2 HEAVY COIL PAY-OFF BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the continuous casting of rod, such, particularly, as aluminum rod, coils are obtained of extreme weight and length that are most economically deposited and transported with the coil axes horizontal. Although it has been known to pay heavy rod coils into a drawing machine at high speed on a vertical axis, no satisfactory apparatus has been available to pay-off large wire coils of the order and size of 5,000 pounds of aluminum, to modern high speed wire drawing machines, on a horizontal coil axis with dual pay-off i.e. automatic transfer of rods from one coil to another parallel coil.

SUMMARY We have invented an apparatus for supporting and continuously paying off of a plurality of heavy coils on horizontal axes that has the purpose of permitting the pay-off of continuous cast coils of great weight and handling of such coils by trucks with horizontal booms. Our apparatus enables the coils to retain their shape while the inside turns are paid out at high speed and permits continuous operation with a leading rod from a second coil welded to the trailing rod from a first coil. Our apparatus comprises first and second means such, in a preferred embodiment as curvilinear plates, horizontally supporting the coils on their outer turns and first and second vertical restraining means comprising a continuous outer periphery encompassing the area of the coils, uprightly fixed on the support means. The restraining means each comprises a central opening for the forward passage of the rod and a flat area corresponding to an area of the coils and restraining them from forward movement. Walls in these areas define passage means in at least one and, advantageously, both of the restraining means, communicating with the opening in the restraining means and extending to a point radially beyond the outer turns so that a continu ous length of rod passing from an outer turn of one coil, through the passage externally of that coil and through the opening in the other restraining means, joins an inner turn in another of the coils. Weighting members are advantageously hinged to the supporting means for confining the outer turns of the coils and turnbuckle means are associated with the support means for urging the coils forwardly against the restraining means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front view of the apparatus of our invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus of our invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the apparatus of our invention used in cooperation with the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a front view of another embodiment of the apparatus of our invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A pay-off apparatus unit, indicated generally by the numeral 10, comprises a curved sheet-steel plate 11 supported on a pipe frame 12. A vertical restraining structure 13 presenting a generally planar surface for restraining the forward movement of a rod coil 14 is welded to the plate 11 and frame 12. The vertical structure 13 has an integrally welded periphery 16, made up of channels 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 of which the channels 17, 25, 19, 27 and 26 provide a frame supporting shorter angles 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 which define an opening 39. An extension 33 of the pipe frame 12 extends forwardlyof this structure 13 and supports a strut 34 reinforcing the structure 13 against forward tilting. Plates 36, 37 of FIG. 1 form part of the restraining structure, but these plates are not essential since the channels 17, 18, 19. 20, 24, 25, 26, 27 along with the angles 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 provide a sufficient restraint in support of the coil l4. The opening 39, defined by the angles 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, is lined with a circular member 41, which may conveniently comprise a slit automobile tire casing nailed to a wooden frame 42 fitting into the opening 39 and locked by means of tightening bolts 43, 44. The channel 26 terminates at a point 46 and the channel 27 terminates at a point 47 to provide a passage 48 communicating with the opening 39 defined by the channels 23, 22, 21, extending to or beyond a point 49 at the outer radius of the coil 14 so that a length of rod 51 from the rear of the outer layer of the coil 14, can pass to the center of a coil 52 through an opening 53 in an adjacent apparatus unit 54 (FIG. 3). The length 51 can be conveniently formed by butt welding the trailing end of the coil 14 to the leading end of the coil 52 during the time that the coil 14 is being paid out. To prevent obstruction defining of the passageway 48 by the member 41, a radial opening is formed in this member by cutting it on the lines 56, 57.

In combination, the units 10, 54 of FIGS. 1 and 3 form an apparatus capable of continuously paying off two full coils. Where the time to payoff two coils will constitute a normal operating shift, there is no need to continue uninterrupted operation after the coil 52 has been paid out to the drawing machine. By forming a slot to the opening 53, however, the process of paying off coils can be made indefinitely continuous. An apparatus for such indefinitely continuous operation, is shown in FIG. 4 where apparatus units 58, 59 paying off coils 61, 62 through openings 63, 64, provide breaks 66, 67 in the walls defining the openings which combine with spaces 68, 69 formed in vertical front structures 71, 72 of units 58, 59 to comprise free passages extending beyond the outer turns of the coils 61, 62 so that alternately one and then the other trailing coil end can be welded to the leading end of the coil to follow.

The coils 14, 52, 61, 62 are formed of rod so heavy that a single turn is self-supporting, and after the inner layers of turns have been discharged, a rod will continue to be paid from a shell comprising one or two outer layers of turns. To keep these turns from being dislodged by the friction of the rapidly advancing rod from the inside of the coil, heavy platelike members 73, 74 attached to arms 76, 77, 78, 79, hinged to angles 81, 82 at hinges 83, 84, 85, 86, rest on the upper surface of the coil. Pads 87, 88 of rubber, or other material providing a non-abrasive surface, cover the members 73, 74 to prevent any scratching of the rod. The apparatus includes left and right turnbuckles 89, 91 having ratchet handles 92, 93. One end of the turnbuckles 89, 9] is fastened to the plate 11 and the other end to brackets 94 for a bar 96 which is inserted behind the coil 14. A rigid plate 97 is inserted between the bar 96 and coil 14.

In the operation of our apparatus, coils l4 and 52 are delivered by boom trucks, having their booms inserted substantially horizontally through the centers of the coils of the respective units and 54. (It will be understood that, for continuous operation, the steps herein described will be applicable to the coils 61, 62 and units58, 59 of FIG. 4). The coils are deposited on the respective plates 11, 38 as close as possible to the vertical structures. During the insertion of the coils. the,

members 73, 74 are dropped outwardly on their hinges.

The turnbuekles 89, 91 are open sufficiently and the plate 97 propped against the rear end of the coil 14..

The bar 96 is inserted in the. brackets 94 and the ratchet handles 92, 93 operated to urge the coil forward and lock it imposition. A leading end from the center turns of the coil 14 is fed into the receiving unit such as a wire drawing apparatus through the opening 39and pay-off is begun. The members 73, 74 are rotated to rest on the coil l4and a trailing end of rod from the coil 14 is carried forward along the outside of the coil through the farthest leftward (as seen in FIG. 1) point 49 of the passage 48 to a welding machine (not shown) and welded to a leading end of rod from the coil 52 brought forward from the innermost turn of that coil through the opening 53. The coil 52 is locked firmly into the unit 54 by turnbuckles and hinged plates as hereinabove described and starts to pay-off automatically when the coil 14 has been exhausted.

The foregoing description has been exemplary rather than definitive of our invention for which we desire an award of Letters Patent as defined in the appended claims. t

We claim:

1. Apparatus for supporting and continuously paying off a plurality of heavy coils of metal rod comprising helical layers of inner and outer turns, comprising:

A. first and second means horizontally supporting said coils on the outer turns thereof, B. first and second vertical restraining means comprising a continuousouter periphery encompassing the area of said coils uprightly fixed to said support means, said restraining means being mounted side by side and each comprising a central opening for the forward passage of said rod and a flat area corresponding to an area of said coils and restraining said coils from forward movement,

C. walls defining a passage in said area of at least one of said restraining means, said passagecommunicating with said opening of said one of said restraining means and extending to a point radially beyond said outer turns, whereby a continuous length of rod passing from. an outer turn of one of said coils, through said passage externally ofsaid coil, and through said opening in the other of said restraining means joins an inner turn in another of members hinged to said supporting means for confining said coils within said apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising turnbuckle means associated with each of said supporting means for urging said coils forwardly against said restraining means.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 comprising turnbuckle means associated with each of said supporting means for urging said coils forwardly against said restraining means. a 

1. Apparatus for supporting and continuously paying off a plurality of heavy coils of metal rod comprising helical layers of inner and outer turns, comprising: A. first and second means horizontally supporting said coils on the outer turns thereof, B. first and second vertical restraining means comprising a continuous outer periphery encompassing the area of said coils uprightly fixed to said support means, said restraining means being mounted side by side and each comprising a central opening for the forward passage of said rod and a flat area corresponding to an area of said coils and restraining said coils from forward movement, C. walls defining a passage in said area of at least one of said restraining means, said passage communicating with said opening of said one of said restraining means and extending to a point radially beyond said outer turns, whereby a continuous length of rod passing from an outer turn of one of said coils, through said passage externally of said coil, and through said opening in the other of said restraining means joins an inner turn in another of said coils.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said areas of both of said restraining means comprise walls defining said passages.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said supporting means comprise curvilinear plates.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said supporting means comprise curvilinear plates.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising weighting members hinged to said supporting means for confining said coils within said apparatus.
 6. The apparatus of claim 2 comprising weighting members hinged to said supporting means for confining said coils within said apparatus.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising turnbuckle means associated with each of said supporting means for urging said coils forwardly against said restraining means.
 8. The apparatus of claim 2 comprising turnbuckle means associated with each of said supporting means for urging said coils forwardly against said restraining means. 